Child Molester Asks For Freedom During Appeal

A former Lambertville man who has been in prison 15 years for molesting two girls asked a Monroe County judge Monday to set him free while prosecutors appeal his release.

Rex E. Layman, 65, who has been in pris­on since 1998 after sexually assaulting two 8-year-old girls, told 38th Circuit Court Judge Michael W. LaBeau that he has changed and that he can help others who are fighting de­pression.

“I’m not the same person I was 16 years ago,” Mr. Layman told the judge during a hearing Monday. “I hate that person. Don’t throw me away. I’ve got a lot to give. I’m not a totally bad person.”

Mr. Layman was not released from custody and returned to prison during the appeals process. Although the Michigan Department of Corrections granted him parole that was to set him free today, the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office appealed that decision and wants to keep him incarcerated.

Mr. Layman was convicted of luring two neighborhood girls into his house where he showed them pornography and then sexu­ally assaulted them.

Court records showed that he committed the crime at a time when he said he was bored with his life, despite having a family and a successful business. Records also indicated that he began exposing himself to young girls in 1974.

“It is clear from his statement ... to the Pa­role Board that he believes that young chil­dren want to be sexually assaulted by him,” according to court records submitted by As­sistant Prosecutor Michael C. Brown. “ The defendant is a sexual deviant that lacks re­morse and is likely to prey on girls under the age of ten if he is released.”

Mr. Layman was convicted of two counts of criminal sexual assault and sentenced to serve 8 to 30 years in prison.

The hearing before Judge LaBeau was to determine if Mr. Layman should be set free during the appellate process. Mr. Brown ar­gued that he felt Mr. Layman was still a dan­ger to society based at least partly on what he said during psychological evaluations while in prison.

“ The defendant stated in the past that the victims were willing participants,” Mr. Brown told the judge. “The defendant is like­ly to re-offend.”

“I never said such a thing,” Mr. Layman responded. “ The victims were absolutely in­nocent. I take full blame.” The inmate, wearing a blue prison uni­form with the number 268575 on his back, stood shackled before the judge with two prison guards nearby. He told the judge that he is ashamed and embarrassed for the as­saults on the two girls but he is proud of how far he has come.

“ I love what I’ve become now,” he told Judge LaBeau. ”It was my doing. I’ve always taken responsibility for that. I never, ever said it was anyone’s responsibility but my own. I won’t be a burden to society. I don’t see where more time in prison will accom­plish anything else.”

But Mr. Brown was not convinced. The pa­role board denied parole on five occasions but allowed it this time based on reasonable assurance that Mr. Layman will not become a menace to society.

Judge LaBeau granted the prosecutor’s motion and ordered Mr. Layman be held in prison until a final decision is made regard­ing his parole. That is expected to take at least several weeks.